Road hedge danger fear on busy East Lancashire road

COUNCIL chiefs have pledged to trim back overgrown hedges that were forcing pedestrians to walk on one of East Lancashire’s most dangerous roads.

Grandmother Carmelita Curtis reported the problem, on a stretch of Grane Road, Haslingden, to councillors earlier this month.

Now, after the Lancashire Telegraph intervened, Lancashire County Council has said it will take action to make the footpath safe.

Mrs Curtis, 52, lives in Grane Road and uses the path regularly while out walking with her grandson, Oakely Curtis, two. She said: “The problem is if you have a pram or a wheelchair, then you’d have real trouble going out onto the road.

“It’s so busy and dangerous. Oakley cut himself on the hedges one day trying to walk round them, and that was the final straw.

“It’s near the turn-off for the A56 towards the motorway, so it’s not a safe place to be on the road. It’s been a problem for a while, but in the last two months it has got ridiculous.”

Conservative councillor Granville Morris, who represents Haslingden’s Greenfield ward, said: “It’s a very busy road and it’s dangerous for people to have to walk in the road itself.

“I’ve contacted the county council, which said the Department for Transport own that stretch of road. It needs sorting. It’s been like that for almost two months and a lot of people use the road.”

A Lancashire County Council spokesman said the affected area, opposite Grane Park, would be worked on today.

The spokesman added: “We are concerned about the dangers posed to pedestrians so we will remove the obstructing vegetation on Monday. We will then seek to recover our costs from the Department for Transport, which we understand owns the land.”

Comments

Izanears
3:54pm Mon 14 Jul 14

Lancashire County Council are very neglectful when it comes to cutting back path-side hedges here in Pendle. Some of our road side paths would make good training grounds for the SAS. The surprising thing is that on the occasions they do come, they cut back the hedge on the side where there is no footpath, and leave the one where there is!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Lancashire County Council are very neglectful when it comes to cutting back path-side hedges here in Pendle. Some of our road side paths would make good training grounds for the SAS. The surprising thing is that on the occasions they do come, they cut back the hedge on the side where there is no footpath, and leave the one where there is!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Izanears

Lancashire County Council are very neglectful when it comes to cutting back path-side hedges here in Pendle. Some of our road side paths would make good training grounds for the SAS. The surprising thing is that on the occasions they do come, they cut back the hedge on the side where there is no footpath, and leave the one where there is!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Score: 11

frank
4:42pm Mon 14 Jul 14

same in great harwood. the footpath by the main road between harwood and whalley is overgrown on the outskirts of town. the footpath by the road in to whalley was almost impossible to walk on a week or so ago.

same in great harwood. the footpath by the main road between harwood and whalley is overgrown on the outskirts of town. the footpath by the road in to whalley was almost impossible to walk on a week or so ago.frank

same in great harwood. the footpath by the main road between harwood and whalley is overgrown on the outskirts of town. the footpath by the road in to whalley was almost impossible to walk on a week or so ago.

Score: 7

grumpyoldlady
5:33pm Mon 14 Jul 14

It's not just councils guilty of this, there are plenty of people who are too lazy to cut their own hedges and let them grow several feet into the pavement space so that you cannot wheel your pram safely, or the branches poke you in the eye. I know a case of an old lady who lives alone and likes to look out of her window at the activity in the street. Alas her neighbours have uncut privet hedges that are now so high and wide that it has cut off her view. It may seem trivial to many of us, but it has made one lady's life more lonely.

It's not just councils guilty of this, there are plenty of people who are too lazy to cut their own hedges and let them grow several feet into the pavement space so that you cannot wheel your pram safely, or the branches poke you in the eye. I know a case of an old lady who lives alone and likes to look out of her window at the activity in the street. Alas her neighbours have uncut privet hedges that are now so high and wide that it has cut off her view. It may seem trivial to many of us, but it has made one lady's life more lonely.grumpyoldlady

It's not just councils guilty of this, there are plenty of people who are too lazy to cut their own hedges and let them grow several feet into the pavement space so that you cannot wheel your pram safely, or the branches poke you in the eye. I know a case of an old lady who lives alone and likes to look out of her window at the activity in the street. Alas her neighbours have uncut privet hedges that are now so high and wide that it has cut off her view. It may seem trivial to many of us, but it has made one lady's life more lonely.

Score: 15

steve18gls
9:33am Tue 15 Jul 14

I agree that councils need to take more care of the hedgerows but cant help wondering, if its so dangerous too walk on there why not use the pavement on the other side of the road and not put you and your family at such risk. ??

I agree that councils need to take more care of the hedgerows but cant help wondering, if its so dangerous too walk on there why not use the pavement on the other side of the road and not put you and your family at such risk. ??steve18gls

I agree that councils need to take more care of the hedgerows but cant help wondering, if its so dangerous too walk on there why not use the pavement on the other side of the road and not put you and your family at such risk. ??

Score: 0

It's a spade!
10:36am Tue 15 Jul 14

Just like when people park their cars and vans blocking "footways" I regularly see people with prams and even some in wheelchairs having to go into the roads because of thoughtless parking.

And what do the police do?................ Nothing, but have a minor accident and they turn up in their dozens. Last night outside Burnley College I witnessed a guy park right outside the entrance on double yellow lines. He put on his hazard warning lights and sat there just waiting for someone.

Firstly, there are double yellows for a reason. Secondly, hazard warning lights do not make your car invisible. Thirdly if you have to put your hazards on then you are obviously causing a hazard, so why park there?

Just like when people park their cars and vans blocking "footways" I regularly see people with prams and even some in wheelchairs having to go into the roads because of thoughtless parking.
And what do the police do?................ Nothing, but have a minor accident and they turn up in their dozens. Last night outside Burnley College I witnessed a guy park right outside the entrance on double yellow lines. He put on his hazard warning lights and sat there just waiting for someone.
Firstly, there are double yellows for a reason. Secondly, hazard warning lights do not make your car invisible. Thirdly if you have to put your hazards on then you are obviously causing a hazard, so why park there?It's a spade!

Just like when people park their cars and vans blocking "footways" I regularly see people with prams and even some in wheelchairs having to go into the roads because of thoughtless parking.

And what do the police do?................ Nothing, but have a minor accident and they turn up in their dozens. Last night outside Burnley College I witnessed a guy park right outside the entrance on double yellow lines. He put on his hazard warning lights and sat there just waiting for someone.

Firstly, there are double yellows for a reason. Secondly, hazard warning lights do not make your car invisible. Thirdly if you have to put your hazards on then you are obviously causing a hazard, so why park there?

Score: 4

AndyD123
11:39am Tue 15 Jul 14

It's a spade! wrote…

Just like when people park their cars and vans blocking "footways" I regularly see people with prams and even some in wheelchairs having to go into the roads because of thoughtless parking.

And what do the police do?................ Nothing, but have a minor accident and they turn up in their dozens. Last night outside Burnley College I witnessed a guy park right outside the entrance on double yellow lines. He put on his hazard warning lights and sat there just waiting for someone.

Firstly, there are double yellows for a reason. Secondly, hazard warning lights do not make your car invisible. Thirdly if you have to put your hazards on then you are obviously causing a hazard, so why park there?

This is an annoyance of mine too. On a footpath near me there are two cars that park with all four wheels on the pavement causing those with prams\wheelchairs into the road. I took photos and complained to the council. The claimed they could do nothing and advised me to contact the police. I did this and they weren't interested. It is pointless having a law if it is not enforced.

[quote][p][bold]It's a spade![/bold] wrote:
Just like when people park their cars and vans blocking "footways" I regularly see people with prams and even some in wheelchairs having to go into the roads because of thoughtless parking.
And what do the police do?................ Nothing, but have a minor accident and they turn up in their dozens. Last night outside Burnley College I witnessed a guy park right outside the entrance on double yellow lines. He put on his hazard warning lights and sat there just waiting for someone.
Firstly, there are double yellows for a reason. Secondly, hazard warning lights do not make your car invisible. Thirdly if you have to put your hazards on then you are obviously causing a hazard, so why park there?[/p][/quote]This is an annoyance of mine too. On a footpath near me there are two cars that park with all four wheels on the pavement causing those with prams\wheelchairs into the road. I took photos and complained to the council. The claimed they could do nothing and advised me to contact the police. I did this and they weren't interested. It is pointless having a law if it is not enforced.AndyD123

It's a spade! wrote…

Just like when people park their cars and vans blocking "footways" I regularly see people with prams and even some in wheelchairs having to go into the roads because of thoughtless parking.

And what do the police do?................ Nothing, but have a minor accident and they turn up in their dozens. Last night outside Burnley College I witnessed a guy park right outside the entrance on double yellow lines. He put on his hazard warning lights and sat there just waiting for someone.

Firstly, there are double yellows for a reason. Secondly, hazard warning lights do not make your car invisible. Thirdly if you have to put your hazards on then you are obviously causing a hazard, so why park there?

This is an annoyance of mine too. On a footpath near me there are two cars that park with all four wheels on the pavement causing those with prams\wheelchairs into the road. I took photos and complained to the council. The claimed they could do nothing and advised me to contact the police. I did this and they weren't interested. It is pointless having a law if it is not enforced.

Score: 3

RoverTheHill
12:00pm Tue 15 Jul 14

Whilst i agree the bushes should be cut (and people parking of pavements or even near to junctions is a grievance of mine as well) is there not a pavement on the opposite side of the road?

If the picture above I can see a pavement, surely instead of walking in the road you could just cross over and then cross back at a later stage? Or is that far too simple and logical a solution?
(If there isn't a pavement opposite however, i retract this statement. But looking at the evidence above, at least, it would seem the solution is simple.)

Whilst i agree the bushes should be cut (and people parking of pavements or even near to junctions is a grievance of mine as well) is there not a pavement on the opposite side of the road?
If the picture above I can see a pavement, surely instead of walking in the road you could just cross over and then cross back at a later stage? Or is that far too simple and logical a solution?
(If there isn't a pavement opposite however, i retract this statement. But looking at the evidence above, at least, it would seem the solution is simple.)RoverTheHill

Whilst i agree the bushes should be cut (and people parking of pavements or even near to junctions is a grievance of mine as well) is there not a pavement on the opposite side of the road?

If the picture above I can see a pavement, surely instead of walking in the road you could just cross over and then cross back at a later stage? Or is that far too simple and logical a solution?
(If there isn't a pavement opposite however, i retract this statement. But looking at the evidence above, at least, it would seem the solution is simple.)

Ipsoregulated

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